Warm
by GlitterTrails
Summary: Sweden is determined to keep his new bride happy and well cared for, but no matter what he does, Finland won't stop shivering. Perhaps his wife needs to be warmed in a different sense...
1. Room Temperature

"I'm so glad to see you! I'm really really glad to see you!"  
Sweden observed how happy Finland seemed to see Estonia.  
M' wife seems to like him. We'll take him back and have him be our kid. That short one can come too.  
"You...and that little one, I want you both back at my place."  
Finland did not react like Sweden anticipated. Why was Finland upset with the idea of Estonia and Latvia, who he seemed very happy to see, coming back with him?  
Ah, the threat of Poland. That was why. Well that shouldn't be a problem.

"Dude, you're something else!"  
Sweden already knew that.  
"...I'll never, ever give them to you!"  
Sweden stared at Poland. His calculations told him that it would be more than easy to take the small man by the collar and drop him out the window.  
But Finland...  
Finland seemed extremely anxious about the whole situation. He didn't want his wife to endure even more stress by watching him engage in physical combat with Poland. Even though Estonia and Latvia living at their house with them as their children might make Finland happy, it didn't seem like it was worth the stress the confrontation with Poland would bring.  
"Then I guess it can't be helped..."

Finland hurriedly followed Sweden out the door. What else was his traveling companion going to do today? He had more than half a mind to stay back at Poland's place with Estonia and Latvia, but he was worried that Poland was so ticked off at Sweden that it might get taken out on him.  
Oh Sweden...what have you done?  
The last smidgen of orange from the sunset was fizzling out of the sky when the silohouette of a cabin emerged on the horizon.  
Oh no, was this another house that Sweden intended to attack with uncomfortable inquiries?  
"Eh whose cabin is this? Are you sure we should approach it so close to dark? A lot of people don't like others coming onto their property at this hour. Maybe they'll think we're robbers and want to shoot us on spot!"  
"'s mine," Sweden replied without stopping or turning around.  
"Oh..." Finland relaxed for a second, but just a second, before another disturbing thought crossed his mind.  
"As in it's actually yours or you're intending to take it?" After all, it wouldn't be the first time today Sweden had tried to do such a thing.  
"'s mine. I built it."  
Oh. Finland relaxed again.  
But again, not for long.  
Oh no...this would be it wouldn't it? If I step into his cabin I'll really belong to him, there'll be no chance of escape. But if I run now I'll be all alone, and besides he might find me again. But I can't live with him, he's scary!  
While lost in worry Finland had unknowingly followed Sweden right up to the cabin's porch. There was the moaning of a key cranking open a rusted over lock, then a click was the door shrieked open.  
Sweden held the door open and stood to the side.  
"Come on in..."  
Finland was choking on terror as he unwillingly started to amble through the doorway.  
"...M' wife."  
And the door clicked shut.

Definitely good that he hadn't decided to fight Poland, Sweden concluded. Finland was wound up enough as is. Post truamatic stress disorder, likely, from the abuses they'd suffered at Mr. Denmark's house.  
"'it down," Sweden instructed his wife after dusting off an old wooden chair.  
"Ah...okay..." Finland's voice was just as shaky, and weaker now. Not good. He definitely needed some rest.  
"Stay 'ere. I'll get the bed ready."

Finland's heart fell out of his rib cage as Sweden turned away and ascended the stairs.  
...the bed.  
Singular, not plural.  
THE bed. Not "your" bed. If it'd been any country else Finland would've assumed that the host would simply have given up the bed and taken the couch.  
But after the way Sweden had said "This...is m' wife," with a complete lack of irony that morning, Finland was dreadfully certain that this was not Sweden's intention.  
Sweden was getting THE bed ready. THEIR bed. Finland was likely never to have his own again.  
Finland would never be his own again. He was Sweden's.  
"Finland...I'm extremely worried about your future."  
It was past the point of worrying now.  
Consumed with dread, Finland passed out on the old wooden chair.


	2. Cozy

Finland's eyes shot open to the view of Sweden's eyes piercing straight into his own.  
"GAHH!"  
"What's wrong?" Sweden inquired, his gaze unwavering.  
"Eh, heh heh. Nothing! Nothing at all!" Blood continued to rise to Finland's face as he started to shake. Oh dear, what was happening?  
Finland became aware of a squishy pillow under his head, a fluffy mattress beneath him and a plush blanket wrapped around his body.  
Then it clicked.  
_"...the bed ready._"  
THE bed.  
THEIR bed.  
Finland was in bed with Sweden.  
The color fled from Finland's flushed cheeks as cold terror engulfed him.  
"You're shaking," Sweden noted. It was then that Finland noticed that Sweden's arm was around him. "Ya must be cold."  
Finland squeaked as Sweden pulled his wife closer and wrapped his other arm around Finland's waist.  
"Ya warm now?"  
Finland nodded weakly as the rest of the blood evacuated his brain, leaving him dizzy, and then unconscious.


	3. Slightly Steamy

Finland walked warily over to the shower. He'd awoken to an empty bed, and Sweden was still nowhere to be seen, but he had a feeling that the previous night had been only the beginning of a series of increasingly strange situations.  
At least...Finland thought as he locked the bathroom door behind him, he'd woken up fully clothed. He was going to assume that meant that nothing weird had happened.  
Of course it also could mean that Sweden was the sort of man to redress him after doing...  
Finland shuddered. No, that was not an alley of thought he cared to take a stroll down. He quickly tore off his clothes and hopped into the shower, pulling the curtain shut behind him.  
The shower floor was still wet, and traces of steam still clung to the air. There was also the heavy scent of some sort of musky-smelling body wash that Finland found strangely attracti-  
"NO!" Finland cried aloud, clasping his hands to his head in frustration. It was bad enough he now belonged to some eerily silent man who thought Finland was his wife. The only thing that could possibly make the situation weirder was if Finland found himself attracted to his captor in any shape or form. Even if it was just his captor's body wash. The train of thought was just so weird that Finland refused to even step onto the boarding platform.  
Finland shook his head and looked up at the shower head. He froze when he saw the knobs for cold and hot water.  
...Hearts? WHY were the knobs for shower water shaped like red and blue HEARTS?  
"Th' blue 's for cold water, and the r'd 's warm," a deep voice behind him explained.  
"AHHH!" Finland shrieked and jumped back, nearly hitting the shower head. Behind him stood Sweden, clothed with only a towel around his waist, water dripping off his lean, exquisitely chiseled torso.  
"Ya ok?"  
"HA HA HA!" Finland giggled uncomfortably "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for explaining that to me, ah ha ha!"  
"Mmm..." Sweden looked from Finland's face to the water knobs and then back to his face, still not blinking or smiling " 'lright, 'll get some breakfast for ya." He stepped out of the shower, closing the curtain behind him.  
"Ha ha, thanks..." Finland called out weakly as the bathroom door closed behind Sweden.  
Finland turned the red heart and let the hot water fall over his quivering form. Not that things really needed to be any more steamy after that encounter.  
I still don't get it...the bathroom door was locked...


	4. Dressy

**I would like to express my gratitude for all the views, favorites, follows and reviews! You're all fantastic. I really appreciate the positive feedback. : D**

A cloud of steam stalked Finland as he stepped out of the shower. He sighed with relief as he toweled off, glad that Sweden hadn't walked in again while he was washing off. He set the towel down and went to reach for his clothes.  
...They weren't there.  
"Eh?!" Finland gulped as he wrapped the towel around his waist as cautiously pulled open the bathroom door. He'd set his clothes on the sink counter, he was sure he had.  
Please don't tell me Sweden took them. What on earth could that man be up to?  
Finland quietly shut the door behind him.  
"H'llo-"  
"WAH!" Finland stumbled back, his towel slipping down ever so slightly before he yanked it back up. "Ah, ha, hi Sweden! You uh, wouldn't have happened to see my clothes, would you have?"  
"They're 'n th' w'sh," Sweden explained as he held out a pale pink house dress, complete with ruffled on the sleeves and heart shaped buttons down the back. "Ya c'n wear th's."  
"Wha-ha ha ha! Don't be ridiculous, I couldn't possibly wear that!"  
"Hm?" Sweden seemed puzzled. He looked from the dress to Finland and then back to the dress.  
"I underst'nd-"  
Finland's shoulders slackened with sweet relief.  
"...ya m'st n't like the color..."  
Finland's feeling relief was gone.  
Sweden retreated back into the closet and returned with a sky blue copy of the previous dress. "Here ya go," he mumbled, handing it to his wife before leaving the room.


	5. Defrost

The house dress thing was definitely disconcerting, Finland thought to himself as he swept the dust off of the shelves of Sweden's cabin. And not just because it pushed Finland further into this "wife" mold Sweden mentally had him in, but also because it left him feeling strangely more...vulnerable...

Maybe that was a sexist conception on Finland's part, but it actually wasn't the gender dilemma that was really getting to him with this. It was the fact that dresses were open at the bottom, and that now since he was in a dress and not pants it would be all the more easy for Sweden to reach down and wrap one of his large, strong hands around Finland's ankle, then run it up past his knee, eventually reaching his bare thigh-

NO NO NO! Finland whacked himself in the head with a duster. He mustn't think such things. What if somehow Sweden got a mental relay of these impressions and it gave him weird ideas? Sweden didn't really need help coming up with weird ideas, it seemed. Finland shook it off and continued dusting, every once in a while stealing a nervous glance outside, where Sweden was immersed in house repairs.

Finland had almost succeeded in ridding his thoughts of all worry and focusing entirely on housecleaning and Finnish happy things when the door opened and the ever-stoic Sweden entered, casting a tall shadow across the room.

Finland started shaking again as Sweden surveyed the room. Don't think about him putting a hand up your dress...don't think about it...OH NO I'M THINKING ABOUT IT!

Sweden stood silently looking about. He was wearing worn out blue jeans, a tank top and a tool belt. All the tools on the tool belt, Finland couldn't help but notice, were exceptionally large and shiny.

Ah no...mustn't dwell on the possible symbolism...I mustn't I mustn't!

"'s clean," Sweden finally spoke. He walked over to Finland and put a hand on his wife's shoulder "Th'nk ya," he said, placing a gentle kiss on Finland's forehead.

Finland could feel his mind shatter. His vision went blurry and his shaking fit escalated ten levels higher. "You're... welcome..." He barely managed to squeak.

"Mmm..." Sweden grumbled. He walked over to the couch, picked up a throw blanket and tossed it over Finland's shoulders. "You're still shaking, ya m'st st'll b' cold. 'll chop s'me firewood 'fter I get b'ck tonight. 'll be going 'nto t'wn now to get some things. Ya t'ke it easy."

"Okay." Finland squeaked in response. Sweden gave his wife a soft pat on the back before walking out the door.

As soon as the door closed Finland's knees buckled and he collapsed to the floor. His mind was completely shot, and his strength was fluttering away from him like a flock of frightened songbirds. He touched his hand to the spot where Sweden had kissed his forehead. That gesture, the gentleness...that had all been so, sweet.

Finland curled his legs up beside him, still lacking the strength to stand. For the first time, he wasn't frightened most of Sweden, the thing he was frightened the most of was...himself. He could feel his resolve being melted away like ice caps during global warming. He found himself imagining fondly sitting next to Sweden by the fireplace, resting his head on Sweden's muscular chest. He pictured picnics by a pond where they both sat silently, holding hands and smiling. And quiet nights drifting to sleep soundly in Sweden's warm, protective embrace.

But this was a dangerous slope Finland's mind was skiing down. Finland wasn't born yesterday. He was well aware that marriage went well past hand holding and cozy evenings by the fireplace. If he started allowing himself to think about even so much as snuggling with Sweden, it wouldn't be too long before he started accepting scenes like shirtless, breathless make out sessions on Sweden's sofa, panting as Sweden undid the heart-shaped buttons running down the back of Finland's house dress, being on his knees, pushed back against a wall, with his tongue caressing Sweden's...*

*tool belt XD

And that was when Finland's mind became complete oatmeal. For the rest of the afternoon Finland stayed in the corner shrinking into a shivering ball of terror, while complete and utter horror engulfed his soul.


	6. Revived

**Valued readers! I want to thank all of you again for the views, favs and follows! I've enjoyed the encouraging and ****entertaining**** reviews ("Jeans"-person, you made me laugh so much. Thank you for that.) The positive feedback has motivated me a lot. You are all fabulous!**

**And I apologize for all of the historical and cultural inaccuracies that you'll without a doubt encounter within this story. All I know about the humanities could probably fit in an amoeba! XD**

Sweden pushed past the front door, arms laden with groceries "M' wife, I got things to make us some fruktsoppa for supper t'night. Thought ya might like it…M' wife?"

Finland was curled up in a ball in the far corner of the room, shivering violently and staring into space with blanked out eyes.

"M' wife!" The groceries crashed to the floor as Sweden dropped everything and rushed to Finland's side. "Finland!" Sweden took his wife by the shoulders and tried to gently shake him back to consciousness "Finland, what's wrong?"

There was no response from the shivering Finland, just the continued vacant stare and perpetual shaking.

_Not good not good not good_.

Stone faced on the outside but terrified internally, Sweden lifted Finland off the floor and cradled him in his arms before carrying him to the kitchen. His Finland…his sweet Finland…what was happening?

He tried to set Finland down on one of the chairs, but Finland nearly toppled over and crashed to the floor. Confused, Sweden opted for placing his wife on the kitchen table. He then grabbed an empty glass off the shelf, filled it with water and turned it upside down over Finland's head.

"HOLY MARTIN LUTHER!" Finland woke up screaming. "THAT SCREWDRIVER IS SO LONG AND SHINY!" His vision cleared to reveal Sweden standing next to him holding an empty cup upside down.

"You're awake," Sweden observed aloud. "Ya feelin' bett'r?"

"I'M ON A TABLE AND MY HEAD IS SOAKED!"

"Yah," Sweden agreed. "Wh't's th't 'bout a screwdriver?"

Finland's face flushed "Ah ha, nothing about a screwdriver…I was just, ha ha, you know…didn't you say you were going to town?"

"Yah, but 'm back."

"Gee, that was really fast. How long did you-?" then Finland noticed the darkened window "Whoa! Is it that late already?"

"Ya w're out f'r a bit," Sweden explained, reaching for a bottle of akvavit sitting on the counter and filled the empty glass. "H're, t'll keep ya w'rm. 'll g't th' fruktsoppa started."

"Ah…thanks!" Finland took the glass with trembling hands. Table + soaked head + Sweden =… nope, Finland didn't want to know. He decided this just as a recollection of his last waking thoughts started to fade into focus.

Oh no.

The hand slipping up the dress…the shirtless make outs…Finland had forgotten about the break in his mental armor that'd occurred earlier that day.

But he remembered now all right…more blood rushed to his face as he caught himself staring at Sweden's rear end, which, as he bent over to pick up the fallen groceries, was looking all too attractive in those historically misplaced blue jeans.

Finland looked down at the glass in his hands. Perhaps liquor consumption _was_ the best course of action right now. It might be the only way to increase the odds of Finland keeping his nerves at this point.

It would also likely decrease the odds of Finland keeping his virginity…but what the heck? How long was that going to last in this setting anyways?

Realizing now he was fighting a losing battle against helpless attraction, Finland took a breath and downed the entire glass in one gulp.


	7. Toasty

Finland gazed into the flickering fire. He sat perched on the edge of the sofa nearest to the fireplace, his head barely peeking out from under a mound of blankets.

He was, as it turns out, feeling a lot better after a fruktsoppa supper and about three glasses of akvavit. Sweden had excused himself briefly right after the meal, saying he'd be right back with something.

What was that something? Finland absently wondered. Another bottle of akvavit? That'd be a nice gesture, but was really unnecessary at present. Finland felt his inhibitions were pretty much zapped at this point, and wherever Sweden wanted to put those large, strong hands of his was more than fine with Finland.

"B'ck." Sweden announced as he reentered the room. Finland's head groggily turned to see Sweden kneeling by his side, holding something in a clenched fist.

"'ello..." Finland responded in slightly slurred speech.

"G'mme y'r h'nd."

"S-sure thing..." With some effort Finland managed to lift his left hand out from under the layers and layers of blankets. Sweden took his wife's hand and, in the fire's glimmer, Finland watched Sweden slide something golden around his wife's ring finger.

"Eh?" Finland blinked a couple of times and then lost his breath for a moment when he realized it was-

"...a wedding band?"

Sweden nodded before slipping another metal object into the palm of Finland's hand. Now Finland was confused. "Wait, two wedding bands?"

Sweden held up his own left hand an pointed to his own unadorned ring finger.

"Oh! Right, of course." Finland struggled to sit up, the air seeming as thick as custard around him as he pulled up his other hand, and then with both hands took the left hand of his husband and shakily slid the second golden band around Sweden's ring finger.

Finland had barely released his husband's hand when Sweden suddenly snatched both of Finland's hands and held them tight in his own. Finland's heart started to accelerate as Sweden leaned over and whispered into his wife's ear-

"Ya b'l'ng t' me now, 'nd I now b'l'ng to ya."

Finland's face was now rosy for reasons completely separate from liquor as Sweden climbed up on the couch behind him, wrapped his hands around his wife's waist and pulled Finland back into him. Finland thought he'd drank himself past the point of being affected by this kind of thing, but, as he lay shivering while his husband pulled Finland's head deeper into that warm, muscular chest, it turned out he hadn't.

"So..." Finland whispered with what was left of his voice "...what are we going to do now?"

"Rest," Sweden replied promptly "You've b'n shaking s'nce ya got h're yesterd'y. 'm w'rried 'bout ya."

Alright, now that response surprised him. Finland had braced himself for some outlandishly kinky suggestion like "L'ts pl'y hopsc'tch wear'n n'thin' b't tool b'lts, yah?" But this absolute gentleness and caring...this Finland was completely unprepared for.

"...Worried? Really?"

"Yah," Sweden replied "Wh'n I c'me in 'nd ya w're shakin' 'nd wouldn't resp'nd...I th'ght I was gonna die 'f fr'ght. I was so scared t' lose ya."

Whoa wait. Sweden...scared? No amount of liquor could have prepared him for that one.

"I'm sorry..." Finland felt his insides shrinking up with guilt "I, I never meant to worry you. I guess I, I guess I've just been frightened about my future ever since I left Mr. Denmark's house..." Finland neglected to mention that Sweden himself was the one that made him frightened for his future. He didn't think he ever could. Finland had clearly misjudged the character of this gentle, tenderhearted man.

Sweden nodded "Yah, th't m'kes s'nse." Then he tightened his embrace and whispered into his wife's ear "Ya d'n't need t' be frightened. 'm h're t' protect ya now."

Finland nodded, trying to blink back the tears in his eyes as Sweden softly stroked his hair.

"T-thank you."

"Yah."

For a long while there was silence except for the sound of the flames licking away at the logs in the fireplace. Finland curled up even tighter into Sweden's warm embrace and slipped an arm around his husband's waist, clutching the shirt fabric on Sweden's back.

Finland allowed his thoughts to evaporate into the comfortable coziness of the moment, his mind fluttering in and out of consciousness for a time until suddenly he shifted into a woken awareness. He glanced up at Sweden's face and had his heart melted when he saw that his husband's eyes were closed and Sweden's mouth, while still far from a smile, was no longer drawn into a tight scowl like before.

_...Adorable..._

Without a further moment of thought Finland sat up, leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on Sweden's lips. His own brain circuits were immediately fried upon doing this, but Finland was now far past the point of caring.

After pressing his lips to Sweden's for a few sweet seconds, Finland started to pull his face away-

-only to be stopped by a large, strong, work-calloused yet gentle hand.

Finland's heartbeat paused for a second, but then accelerated rapidly as Sweden pressed their faces back together and started covering Finland's mouth with soft kisses.

Finland sighed softly as the kisses became longer and deeper. He tried not to let a small moan escape him as his husband's kisses moved away from his lips and started to cover his chin and then move down his neck.

Ah heaven! Sweet heaven! Pleasure beyond fathom enveloped Finland as Sweden's kisses moved down to the base of his neck and his husband nuzzled Finland's shoulder.

But alas, the akvavit was finally catching up with him.

_No..._ Finland protested silently as the blackness of sleep slowly pulled him away from physical paradise.

_Dangit,_ he thought as the sleepiness tore him away from the sight and touch of his lover. _Alright, tomorrow night, less liquor..._


	8. Replay - Switch sides!

Sweden felt his heart liquefy as Finland curled up even closer against him and wrapped an arm around his husband's waist, clutching the fabric on the back of Sweden's shirt with one of those perfect little hands.

_M' wife is so cute… _Sweden, physically powerful as he was, felt himself becoming emotionally powerless to the adorable little person curled up on his chest. Could Finland really be taking to him? It made no sense…sweet little Finny finding some sort of comfort in the man who people fled before he even finished saying "howdy"?

Back in Mr. Denmark's house, Sweden had always been charmed by the persistently perky little person who, even in the direst of circumstances, would find a way to bring Christmas spirit to everyone, even his enemies, year after year. The innocence and goodness of little Finland stood in such stark contrast to darkness in Denmark's place.

In his secret heart of hearts, Sweden had always dreamed that maybe Finland, with his universal love and sense of charity would be the one to look past Sweden's terrifying exterior and find someone worth loving.

It was a futile dream, Sweden had known that, but it was a happy one nonetheless. The day Sweden snapped, lashed back at Denmark and broke out of prison, he silently swore he would return and free Finland once he was strong enough. It just wasn't right for the perfectly sweet personification of Christmas spirit to be stuck in a place so dark and hopeless.

Imagine Sweden's joy when he heard that bright voice calling after him. "Sweden! Wait! I want to run away with you!"

A runaway marriage? Just like in the movies. Upon reflection, Sweden wished he could've said something better than "Yah s're," in response, but, in case anybody hadn't picked up on it yet, Sweden was sort of handicapped when it came to expressing his feelings.

He knew Finland was likely only eloping for purposes of protection. That's probably why he got embarrassed and lied about their marriage to Estonia. But that was okay with Sweden. This was a way for Finland to be close by him for forever. Even if Sweden's love remained always unrequited, he could at least have the comfort of knowing that this perfect, precious person was protected and provided for.

But now, as Finland was happily nestling his head against Sweden's chest, Sweden started to seriously consider that maybe, just maybe…Finland was coming to really care for him.

Sweden had closed his eyes as he got lost in the labyrinth of thoughts. Then, suddenly, he felt something soft press against his lips.

_WHAT?_

He pried an eye open to discover that Finland was kissing him. It surprised Sweden so much that he had barely come around to being able to enjoy it when Finland started to pull away.

_No! Wait!_Sweden reached for Finland's head and pulled their faces back together.

_I love you!_ Shy with speaking, Sweden tried to convey his words in his heart with every kiss he placed on his wife's lips.

_I love you! You're beautiful! You're perfect! You're everything! Please never leave me, please. I still don't know why you woke up screaming about a screwdriver, but if you want a screwdriver you can have mine. You can have anything of mine. All of me and everything I have is yours. You're so cute!_

A small tear rolled down Sweden's cheek as his lips moved across Finland's face and down Finland's neck. _You're all the happiness there is in the world to me. Please stay with me, please. I love you, Finland._

As he nuzzled his wife's shoulder he felt Finland fall away into unconsciousness. Sweden almost smiled. Cute little Finny, he must have been exhausted. He leaned his head back into the arm of the couch, closing his eyes again and letting himself appreciate how warm and soft Finland felt snuggled up against him.

Sweden didn't know entirely what to think about Finland falling asleep while he was kissing him. Did that mean that Sweden was a bad kisser, or a good one? Ah well, in any case it'd been Sweden's first kiss, so maybe he'd get better with practice.

But Finland had kissed him first…that had to mean that Finland felt for him at least a little bit, right? But Sweden was aware how much his outward appearance and mannerisms terrified everyone. Although Sweden's real personality was truly quite harmless and loving. Had his wife been able to see that?

_Please see who I really am, _Sweden silently pleaded as he too started to fall asleep. _Please…_


	9. Rainy Day Realizations

**Valued readers!** **I can't thank you enough for all the continued support. Especially the kind, encouraging and amusing reviews. I treasure each and every one of them, thank you. They keep me writing, they really do! I think Sweden and Finland are just the cutest, and I'm really thrilled to see that a lot of other people think so too. Love all around! ^/^**

It was raining that day, so Sweden was confined to doing inside repairs, mostly fixing the leaks in the cabin's roof. So Finland was faced with the temptation of his husband in those tight-fitting, historically misplaced blue jeans all day long. Finland was trying to keep his thoughts clean while he was cleaning, his really was.

But it seemed to be a futile effort. And Sweden, though probably unknowingly, was making things even more difficult.

"C'ld ya hand me m' h'mm'r, please?"

An innocent enough request. "Of course!' Finland set down his duster and came over to Sweden, who was standing on a ladder, holding a board up to the ceiling with both hands. The rain was still seeping though the roof, covering Sweden's bare back with glistening water droplets.

"Umm...aren't you cold working without a shirt like that?"

"It'd j'st g't rain on 't if I wore a shirt," Sweden explained.

Hmm...admittedly, Sweden with a rain-soaked shirt clinging to his skin would probably be almost as distracting as a shirtless Sweden in any case.

"I guess that makes sense," Finland conceded as he stepped next to the ladder. "Where's the hammer?"

"It's 'n m' tool belt."

Oh no.

And of course, it couldn't just be anywhere on Sweden's tool belt, it naturally had to be at the front of Sweden's tool belt, right next to the belt buckle.

_Father Christmas forgive me._Finland thought as he climbed up the ladder. When he got to eye-level with Sweden's...belt, he turned bright fuchsia and had to suppress a squeak. His husband was well-equipped in ways completely unrelated to tool belts.

Finland swallowed nervously and was about to reach for the hammer when he all of a sudden snapped and jumped down from the ladder and fled to the other side of the room. "I'M SORRY I CAN'T DO IT I CAN'T! It's just not right!"

Sweden gazed down at his wife with concern and puzzlement as Finland broke down into another trembling fit. That…had made no sense. Worried for his wife's mental well being, he abandoned his attempt at roof repairs and went over to his lover's side.

"Ya okay?"

"I'm sorry…" Finland didn't look up at him "I'm sorry…you must think I'm so stupid and confusing."

"Confusing yah, b't n't stupid," Sweden put a hand on his shoulder "Wh'ts wr'ng?"

"I-I just…" Finland didn't seem to be able to elaborate. Sweden, not knowing what was going on, had no idea what to say to comfort him. Not that he would probably know what to say in any case.

"Ya want t' sit 'n the porch f'r a bit? Watch th' rain 'til ya calm down?"

Finland looked up at him with a weak smile and nodded.

The creaking of the porch swing was barely audible over the rushing wind launching sheets of rain down on the landscape. Yet in spite of the wind's loud bellowing, the dark gray cloud cover looked more cozy and blanket-like than intimidating.

Then again, Finland thought, that could just be because he was snuggling with Sweden on a front porch swing. His husband had wrapped a blanket around the both of them. The same blanket, Finland noted, that Sweden had been sweet enough to share with him that first night after they ran away from Denmark.

Looking back, Finland could hardly believe that he'd been terrified that night. Knowing what he did about Sweden now, being scared of him was laughable. Imagine that, being scared of someone with a soul like a soft blanket and a heart like a plush pillow.

"Sweden?" he asked suddenly, face feeling warm as he did "Maybe this sounds weird, and if you say no I understand, but…would it be okay if I called you…Cuddles?"

His husband looked at him like he'd just sprouted wings on his head.

"Uh-I mean, I know that's weird, yah? But, the more I get to know you, the more I realize you have this adorable, sweet personality that's just so…huggable. You're just really snuggly and cute and it's really wonderful to be near you. So I just thought, you know, that maybe Cuddles would be a good nickname for you. Maybe you don't like it. It's okay if you don't like it…I just thought-"

Finland lost his breath as Sweden swept him into the world's most tight yet tender embrace. His husband buried his face into Finland's shoulder and started shaking. Sweden shaking-wait…what? Then he realized that there were warm tears streaming down his husband's face. Sweden sobbing? That made even less sense. What had Finland said?

"I'm sorry-"

"Th'nk you," Sweden cut him off "Th'nk you, m' wife."

Finland's confusion was increasing exponentially. "I…for what?"

"For seeing th' real me," he responded in a voice barely above a whisper "Th'nk you."

Finland was dumbstruck for a second, but then smiled. He gently pulled his husband's face up from his shoulder and looked into those gentle blue eyes. "Thank you," Finland whispered as he wiped the tears from Sweden's face. "…for letting me see him, because he's the sweetest person I've ever known."

Then, something adorable happened. For the first time ever, Finland saw Sweden smile. Even more adorable was the fact that Finland knew that smile was just for him.

"'f ya want t' call me C'ddles, I think that's fine," Sweden pulled Finland even closer, clutching Finland's face to his chest "I'll be your C'ddles forever, m' wife."

Finland felt tears coming to his own eyes. How had he ever been afraid of this man? Finland rested the side of his face on Sweden's chest as his eyes wandered across the landscape. Far off to the left there was the smallest break in the clouds, where pure, white sunshine poured through the clouds, illuminating the surrounding raindrops and making them glitter like crystals.

So bright, so pure…just like…Sweden.

Pure, unlike…Finland's mind chose that of all moments to let itself fill with all of his tainted fantasies he'd had about Sweden that past two days like a sudden flash flood of muddy filth.

Pure…unlike…Finland.

Finland came to realize two things. First of all, that Cuddles was the sweetest, most perfect being that would ever walk the planet earth and that Finland loved him more than any country had ever loved any country else.

Second, that Finland absolutely could not stay with him. He didn't deserve to.


	10. Bubbles

**Dearest Readers, again thank you for the continued support! To my lovely reviewers, thank you and yes, I agree that Finland is being absurd. I've tried to explain to Finland that there's absolutely nothing unwholesome about wanting to make love to your own husband, he's not been listening. No worries, he's gonna come around. Love out to all of you!**

Sweden had never felt sunnier inside than on that rainy evening. He and his wife sat holding each other on the front porch swing as darkness started to drift down. But nothing could darken Sweden's light within.

The one he loved at last saw him for who he really was. This was so glorious that he still couldn't fully absorb that it was a reality. All of his dreams he'd ever dreamed had come true in a flash of lovely lightning. What more could he want in the world besides Finland?

Cuddles's dreamy distraction continued while he was cooking dinner an hour later, causing him to nearly burn the Swedish meatballs. Ah adorable little Finland! Sweden couldn't help but grab his wife's hand in the middle of dinner. Holding hands made for slightly tricky one handed eating, but who cared? There wasn't a cinnamon roll in the world as sweet as Finny!

"Hey, Cuddles," his wife spoke up as the meal came to an end "Let me clean up after dinner tonight! It's the least I could do, since you cooked it after all, yah?"

"Ya s're?"

"Yah! I'll take care of it. Why don't you go take a relaxing bubble bath or something?"

"Mmm." Sweden nodded and squeezed Finland's hand. "'Alright then. 'll be 'n bed waiting f'r ya."

Finland was so kind! A bubble bath, while also probably historically misplaced, would be perfect after a chilly rainy day. Sweden slipped under the blanket of bubbles, enjoying the fact that his surroundings reflected his internal emotional state. He scooped up a handful of bubbles and clasped them to his heart.

Cuddles huh? Sweden smiled. Cuddles...what a name to call the likes of him. Again, despite the fact he had a strong, steely exterior, Sweden could feel himself becoming all squishy and pudding-like within. He'd more than surrendered entirely to the sweetness of dear little Finny, wanting nothing else in the world than to be Finland's Cuddles. Whatever Finland wanted from him was already Finland's, any fears or reservations Sweden had were slipping away like the steam from this bubble bath.

When Sweden finished toweling off, he walked back to the farthest drawer in his closet and pulled out a fuzzy, sky blue bathrobe with snowflakes printed on it. He had been scared to wear it before because, in addition to being historically misplaced, he'd worried Finland would think it looked stupid on him. But now maybe, Sweden thought as he pulled on one of the sleeves, it would increase the cuddly appeal of Cuddles.

He doused himself with cologne, wanting to give his wife every incentive possible to snuggle with him. Would Finland want to kiss again tonight? Sweden really hoped so. Then an idea hit him. He went back to his closet and pulled out a keyed fiddle. Music! Yes, that would help tremendously. He'd play his heart's feelings out with the nyckelharper and Finland wouldn't be able to resist wanting to hold him all night long. If Finland had thought he was appealing earlier, just wait 'til his wife saw him now.

"Howdy m' love!" Sweden strolled into the kitchen with a small, silly smile on his face as he carried the nyckelharper. "C'ddles 's here!"

No response. Sweden surveyed the room. There was a sparkling table and a shining sink next to a pile of clean dishes, but no Finland.

"M' wife?"

Then his heart cliff-dived off the edge of despair when he saw the tear-stained note sitting next to his wife's wedding ring on the table.

_Dearest Cuddles..._

_I'm so sorry I have to leave like this, I really am. It's for your own protection. I can't stay with you, I don't deserve it. You're so sweet, so completely pure. You've shown me the purest sort of caring any human can hope for. That's why I had to leave, because my own heart is far from pure. The more time I spent near you, the more I wanted to-_

Sweden's face turned the color of holly berries as he read the paragraph of activities listed in explicit detail on the note. He could feel the front of his Christmas-tree-covered boxers become tighter as he clasped a hand to his mouth and leaned back against the wall with wide, surprised eyes. His wife had wanted to **WHAT?!**

How had Sweden not picked up on this? This was...this was glorious beyond anything he'd ever dreamed! Sweden had been longing so desperately that Finland would fall in love with his heart that he hadn't gotten around to even dreaming about Finland also finding him desirable in a sexual sense. This was great news! He was glad Finland was the one to bring it up, because even if Sweden had been hopeful enough to even consider it before, he would've been much too bashful to admit it to Finland.

_I know this probably makes you disgusted._

Actually, this made Sweden unbelievably happy. He'd never even thought this possible, this was way more than Sweden had ever even dared to dream of.

_But at least now you know why I have to leave. After seeing how pure and tender your heart was, I could never live with the person who would break it. Especially not myself. I'm so sorry to let you down like this. There's no way I can ever make it up to you, but at least this way you'll be protected from my impure intention. I'm so sorry, my love, forgive me._

Okay, now Sweden was more lost than Poland at a manliness convention. So Finland wanted to have sex with him and was...ashamed of it? What? This made absolutely no sense. Didn't his wife know that Sweden adored him with his entire being and would do anything Finland desired? Didn't Finland remember what Sweden had said just the night before, that he belonged to him?

As Sweden swiped Finland's ring off the table and sprinted out into the freezing rainstorm, he made a note that he and his wife should really start working on communication skills, but first he needed to find Finland and save the love of his life from dying of hypothermia.


	11. Frozen Finland Fail Factor

**I apologize for this chapter, but conflict must occur before Sweden and Finland can find their final happiness and make sweet love on the front porch swing until the end of time. Stay with us, we'll begin returning to the feel-good fluff we all came for in the next chapter, I promise.**

**My love continues to go out to all the fantastic readers. Reviewers, you guys have both succeeded in making me blush with your kindness and literally weep with laughter with your hilarity. Please keep the funny commentary going, I haven't laughed this much in months!**

**Love all around!**

Finland made a mad dash across the muddy landscape, nearly slipping on every puddle as his heart slipped into sadness.

_It's all over. I've ruined everything._ The rain was freezing into sleet now, and speeding bullets of hail were starting to barrage Finland as he fled farther and farther from the safety of Sweden's cabin.

_Can't go back...I can't! I'll freeze to death before I hurt Cuddles! I just got to get away._ Finland hadn't bothered to check his bearings before he left to see if he could possibly end up at Poland's place or some other safe haven. He almost thought at this point it was better if he didn't.

What's the use? Finland reflected, his house dress fluttering in the wind as he continued running. He'd let down his one true love, the only love he ever wanted or ever had.

Muscles spent of energy and sore with frostbite, Finland finally collapsed at the base of a tall tree. He wrapped his arms around the trunk of the tree and started to sob. He remembered how cozy the rain had seemed that afternoon, when he'd been watching it from the porch swing with Sweden, his head leaning against his husband's bare chest while Sweden stroked Finland's hair with those warm strong hands.

And the night before...he could almost taste the words _I love you_ on Sweden's lips as his husband had covered his mouth with kisses. Finland cried all the harder. Terrible, just terrible. How could he have done this to someone who had loved him so sincerely?

The sound of the sleet and his own sobs was too loud for Finland to hear the eerie footsteps of an ominous dark figure approaching and had no idea what had hit him when he was knocked unconscious by the blow of a blunt object to the back of his head.

Finland awoke on a straw mattress in the middle of a poorly lit room. Cobwebs clung to the bedpost and the whole place had a stench of rotting wood. As Finland tried to sit up, he realized that someone had tied his hands together behind his back with some kind of rope.

"What the? Where on earth am I?"

"Beyond the point of rescue, if that's what you're wondering," the voice tone itself seemed to share the sneer of its owner. From the shadows, an ominous figure stepped out into the flickering fire light.

Finland's eyes strained to identify the stranger. When he recognized the face his jaw plummeted down deeper than the Grand Canyon.

"Mr. Nuruo Nuruyama!? The random cafe customer?"

Nuruo grinned maniacally "That's right. Germany and your precious Sweden failed to satisfy my appetite. Turns out that I needed a little Christmas, right this very minute. Who'dve guessed I was hungry for a little Father Christmas Finland?"

"I think I speak not only for myself but for everyone reading this when I say- "What the f(reproduce)?!""

"Well, to be honest, it was getting a little old having Russia and France as the persistent perpetrators in these kind of attempted rape scenarios. And really, assigning any country to the role of perpetual pervert just opens up the door for all kinds of misconceptions and negative stereotypes towards people of certain nationalities in the real world."

"Oh..." Finland turned his head to the side and considered it "Yah...I guess that kind of makes sense. But still- YOU?! You always seemed so unassuming and mild mannered! You just come off as so victimized..."

"A wolf in sheep's clothing for sure," Nuruo's teeth gleamed "Although, I wouldn't be the only person in this room to seem like a mild mannered victim on the surface and actually be a sex-crazed perve."

Finland's insides wrenched and he lowered his eyes. "You're right. I'm awful." Then his eyes narrowed and he glared back up at him defiantly. "But at least I ran away! Even if I am a perve, at least I would die before I'd hurt the one I love with my selfish desires!"

"Ah, tsk tsk, now that was self righteous," Nuruo wagged a disapproving finger in the air "Besides Finny, there's a huge difference between your situation and mine," Nuruo leaned down and whispered into Finland's ear "Unlike your case with Sweden, I don't love you," he pulled Finland's legs apart "You don't deserve to be loved, only consumed."

Finland thought he was going to wretch as the maniac wrapped his cold, clammy hands around Finny's ankles and started sliding them up the skirt of his house dress.

"Stop it! You're disgusting! You're completely disgusting!" Finland futilely strained against the ropes around his hands and feet and tried kicking Nuruo off, but it was useless. The maniac just grinned.

"Now that's not nice. You could learn a lesson or two from your sweet Sweden about _customer service..._"

"Go to hell!"

"Moron, we're already there."

Finland's soul was suffocating as Nuruo's hands slid up past his knees and were closing in on his boxers. Tears were gushing down his face as he closed his eyes and shrieked at the top of his lungs in complete, desperate, despair. "CUDDLES! SWEDEN, SAVE ME!"

There was a crash that silenced lightning followed by a rain shower of splinters as the door was kicked in from the outside.

"Get y'r hands th' hell off of m' wife!"

**To my readers: See? Sweden is here. Everything is going to be fine. Now calm down, stop your tears. Trust me, I wouldn't write something sad, I'd be the first one to cry about it. One time I made myself bawl when I drew a picture of a stegosaurus that had eaten so much ice cream that its spikes turned into upside down ice cream cones and it died. No, I'm serious, I really did cry over this.**

**Anyways, in the meantime feel free to yell at Finland for his highly inaccurate perceptions about sexual attraction in the context of affectionate romance. I swear his guilt complex is giving me a migraine.**


	12. Schooled by Sweden

As the sawdust cleared from the air, a tall silhouette filled the space that had all too recently been the doorway. The wind made the tails of Sweden's fuzzy bathrobe wave heroically behind him. Behind his wire frame glasses, the look in those fierce blue eyes spelled one word: murder.

"ARGHAHHH!" Cuddles roared as he tore a piece of wood from the broken door frame and came running right at Finland's assailant. The man had barely turned his head when he got a face full of splinters as Sweden bludgeoned him with the wood block, sending him tumbling to the floor.

Then Sweden realized just who the one trying to hurt Finny was.

_"Wh't?"_

"Yah I know! That was my reaction too!" Finland agreed.

Sweden blinked and shook his head "Doesn't m'tt'r. C'ld be China's pet panda bear 'r Tony th' alien. Ya hurt m' wife, end 'f y'r life!"

Sweden brought down the wooden plank for the final, crushing hit when Nuruo rolled out of the way, pulled a knife out of nowhere and speared it into Sweden's shoulder.

"CUDDLES!" Finland shrieked with horror as Sweden's blood filled the air with a scarlet mist. Sweden didn't scream, though his teeth clenched and the wood piece fell from of his hands. He tried to pick it back up when a sharp kick to the chin from Nuruo sent him crashing into a far wall.

Sweden was trying to stand as he felt the edge of a knife scrape against the skin on his neck. Nuruo stood over him, that same stupid maniac grin filling his face.

"So you came...I was hoping you would. Nice to get a little main course with the dessert."

"'m never serving ya free coffee 'ver again, ya filth. Let m' wife go, 'nd 'll make y'r death a short one."

The knife dug a little deeper into Sweden's skin, sending a tear of blood tricking down his neck "I don't think you're the one in any position to make death threats, Swede."

Sweden glared at Nuruo with glacier-cold animosity before closing his eyes. _Think Cuddles,_ he told himself, _you're probably history, but there's still probably a way to save Finny._

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Sweden could hear Finland cry from the straw mattress as his wife continued to fruitlessly fight ropes binding his hands and legs "Do what you want with me, just don't hurt my husband."

_Finland, I love ya. Please shut up._

Nuruo laughed "I don't think it's an 'either or' situation at this point, Finny. This is a "winner takes all" situation, 'nd I've clearly won." He leaned down so he was face to face with Sweden.

"Ah, poor scary Sweden..." Nuruo taunted, "You used to really frighten me. Now look at you, in a fuzzy snowflake bathrobe and Christmas tree boxers, throwing your life away in a useless effort to save some wimp in a house dress. Love has made you weak, Sweden."

"SHUT UP!" Finland shrieked, "He is NOT weak! Cuddles, don't listen to him."

Nuruo chuckled "Oh can it Finny. Stop pretending you actually cared about him. Love sapped Sweden's strength and tainted your heart with lust. What's this paper your husband was holding? Ah, a note from you. My my, quite the dirty little list. Does that hurt you to hear, scary old Sweden?"

Sweden mumbled something inaudible "...n'm... 't d'n..."

"Sorry, didn't catch that."

"I said," Sweden looked straight up at Nuruo with a malice-laced glare "M' name isn't Sweden!" His foot slammed into Nuruo's chest, sending the knife clattering to the floor as Sweden stood up.

"M' NAME-" Sweden yelled as he sent a left hook flying into Nuruo's face "IS C'DDLES!"

The blow knocked Nuruo to the floor. The cafe customer coughed up blood as he tried to stand back up, but Cuddles seized him by the collar and threw him back into the wall.

"N'w listen ya scum," Sweden growled "Let's g't some things straight. F'rst off, love does n't make ya weak. Crazy sometimes yah, but not weak. Second, theres nothing d'rty 'bout F'nl'nd wantin' m' body 'r me wantin' his, so don't ya dare make h'm feel b'd about that."

Finland's face became pink "There's, there's not?"

**Reviewers and author: "NO!"**

Finland: "...oh, I wish someone had told me that earlier."

**Reviewers and author: WE TRIED TO TELL YOU! SEVERAL TIMES!**

"No theres n't," Sweden continued, ignoring the fourth wall break "What's d'rty 's ya turning an act 'f love 'nto 'n act of violence." He drew his hand back to deliver the final, finishing blow.

"WAIT!" Nuruo cried "Isn't there a third thing? Statements like that almost always come in three parts!"

"Yah, th' third thing is: rot 'n hell, rapist filth!" Sweden spat as he threw a punch that sent the cafe customer straight to the bad side of afterlife.

**Gentle readers and treasured reviewers: Sorry if the fight scene wasn't the best. I usually write Sci-Fi, so I'm used to having characters have spaceship battles and shoot each other with ray guns and laser beams. I haven't done a lot of fist fights. -/- Gah, that was exhausting to write, but as always love out to all of you. Feel good fluff to follow, I promise! : D**


	13. Hot 'n Heavy

**Gentle readers and valued reviewers: I went back through previous chapters and did a smidgen of copy editing and gave poor Cuddles some of his vowels back so that we can actually understand what he's saying. So hopefully this will make for an easier reading experience if any of you need to review that steamy randomness. Thank you for cheering Cuddles on! He appreciates it.**

Sweden stumbled back after punching Nuruo's head through the wall, seeming dazed at what he'd just done. He shook it off and turned back around to face Finland, who squeaked upon seeing the return of Sweden's intense, unsmiling expression.

"Ya okay?" Sweden asked as he picked the knife off the ground and used it to carefully cut away the ropes around his wife's feet and hands.

Finland nodded through his tears.

"Do n't cry, y'r safe now," Sweden stated as he finished removing the ropes binding Finland's hands.

Finland flung his now-free arms around Sweden "Oh Cuddles, you're hurt, you're hurt and it's all my fault!"

"No it's n't. Ya w'ren't th' one who knifed me."

"No but I might as well have been! If I hadn't followed you away from Mr. Denmark's house none of this would have happened to you!"

Sweden shook his head and wrapped his non-injured arm around Finland "Nothing could h'rt m' more th'n y'r absence, m' love. Don't ya know y'r all th' happiness th're is f'r me?"

Finland's sobbing stopped and his heart did water aerobics of wonder.

"Don't ya remember," Cuddles continued as he reached back into the pocket of his bathrobe, pulled out Finland's wedding band and then slipped it back on his wife's finger "wh'n I t'ld ya I belong to ya? All of me is y'rs, m' wife. Even my-" Cuddles brow furrowed as he pulled the note back out for reference "...long steely screwdriver that you want to tongue-polish until it-"

"AH HA HA HA!" Finland had never laughed more loudly or uncomfortably in his life "Yeah I write some crazy things yah?"

"'t does explain why ya woke up screaming about a screwdriver the other night." Was this the signs of a sense of humor that Finland was hearing? Cuddles was just getting more and more interesting all the time. "Y'r th' color of y'r Santa suit," Sweden observed.

"Ah ha ha, yah..." Finland gulped as the blushing got even worse "Ah...speaking of Christmas, nice, um...underwear."

"Oh," it was Cuddles's turn to turn red "...yah, th'nks...glad yah like it."

Finland smiled. If his husband was going to be a tease, then two could play that game.

They sat holding each other in still silence for a while because there's really no direction the conversation can take after reaching the topic of Cuddles's Christmas tree boxers.

Well, actually, there was ONE direction.

Finland placed his hands on Sweden's shoulders and locked their lips in a kiss so deep and passionate that Cuddles thought mistletoe was going to start growing out of his ears. They pulled back a moment for air but then immediately went back at it, needing each other's touch far more than oxygen.

Cuddles's Christmas tree boxers were getting tight again as his wife slipped his hands inside Sweden's bathrobe and ran his fingers down his back. Sweden sighed as he melted into a Cuddles-Puddle** (I'm sorry I'm sorry, I just HAD to write Cuddles-Puddle at least once. Finland made me do it, cute naughty little Finland. ^-^)** He could feel the tension in Finland's breath as he leaned down to kiss his husband's chest.

"...Cuddles?"

"Yah?"

"I-I really want you! Really! I've wanted you so badly this entire time!"

"Yah?" Sweden smiled "Well th'n I don't th'nk I should keep ya-" a sudden wooziness struck Sweden's skull "-keep ya..." the world started spinning and his speech became slurred "k-keep, ya waitin'..."

He felt Finland freeze. "Oh no, the blood loss..." His wife's words started to ring in his ears like distant echoes as the world started dissolving into dark blue. "Your shoulder! Oh gosh I should've realized-CUDDLES! Cuddles, stay with me Cuddles! CUDDLES!"

Cuddles, as he helplessly drifted away into the dark blue nothingness, really wished that he could.

**...Don't worry, he doesn't actually die. I'm not saying this to spoil anything, but to assure you that there will be another chapter. Because really, nobody involved with this fic wants Cuddles or Finland to die virgins. Especially not Cuddles or Finland. I think if I let that happen I'd be smacked upside the head, and rightfully so.**


	14. Historically Misplaced Modern Hospital

**WARNING: ****IT**** HAPPENS IN THIS CHAPTER. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.**

Silvery white sunlight streamed in onto Sweden's face as he started to wake. One arm was heavily bandaged and attached to an IV, the other was glued to his side because his wife was clutching him like a teddy bear. They were both dressed in flowery hospital gowns, covered with a thin, somewhat scratchy blanket.

He looked down at Finland's face. His wife's eyebrows were scrunched together and his mouth was drawn into a tight, concerned little frown. Finny must've fallen asleep deeply worried.

With some effort Sweden leaned down and planted a small kiss on the corner of his wife's mouth. Finland's eyes fluttered open for a second, focused on Sweden, and then closed again. The worried frown had been exchanged for a pleased smile.

Now that Finny was smiling Sweden could take time to focus on less important matters. He looked over and flinched back a bit when he realized that the IV was infusing blood into his veins. Whoa, okay…what had happened? Sweden's eyes glazed over as his mind strained to retrieve memories from the night before.

_Porch swing, Swedish meatballs, hand holding, bubble bath, erotic farewell note-_EROTIC FAREWELL NOTE?!

Sweden's gaze snapped back down to the angelic little person clinging onto him with such innocent enthusiasm. _Erotic farewell note?_

He blinked a couple of times and then bit his lip in order to suppress laughter. _I love Finland…_Sweden thought to himself, shaking his head in amusement at the amount of sheer sexual desire that lay behind that innocent smile.

_Anyways…erotic farewell note, running after Finland, finding Finland about to be raped by a café customer-_

Cuddles's teeth clenched and his fists balled up in anger –the café customer-oh he could KILL him, oh wait he had.

_Well done Cuddles,_ he silently congratulated himself. _And then, let's see…after the café customer was dead I cut Finland free, we were making out on the sketchy straw mattress and then…_

…nothing.

_Did I faint due to blood loss?_ Sweden wondered as he started to remember the fight. I _guess th't guy did stab me pretty hard._

"Ah, Mr. Cuddles, you're awake!" Sweden turned and saw Ms. Hungary standing by the bedside dressed in a red and white nurse's outfit "Oh that's just wonderful, I'm sure your wife will be happy. He was ever so distressed when he carried you in last night."

"HAH?" Sweden's forehead filled with blue lines.

"EEeep!" Ms. Hungary hopped back in surprise, but then immediately attempted to regain a calm, professional composure. "Ah, I know, I was pretty surprised too, to see him carrying you like that, since you're much taller than him and whatnot. But he was determined to see that you got care. Poor little thing couldn't sleep until we started you on the blood transfusion, though he almost fainted right before that when we took the unit of blood from him. Handy to have a spouse with the same blood type, don't you think?"

_Same blood type-?_

"Th's is m' wife's blood?"

"Well, it was…though now I guess it's becoming your blood. Although since you belong to him, I guess it's still his blood in a way, right? He was so cute, turns out he's scared witless of needles, but he insisted that we do it anyways. He told us how you protected him last night…so good to see a couple who really cares for and protects each other-ah! The infusion is done, let me take that out for you-"

Sweden sat dumbfounded as Miss Hungary unhooked him from the IV and wrapped another bandage around his arm. His wife…had really done that all for him? Sweden had always grown up with the idea that he himself should protect and take care of others, but being protected and taken care of in return was not something he had been prepared for.

"There you go," Miss Hungary secured the bandage "Do tell me if that gets uncomfortable and I'll change it. I'll go fetch some breakfast for you two lovebirds." She gave them a sunny smile and left the room.

Sweden gazed down at his wife's sleeping form, eye wandering to the bandage wrapped around the middle of Finland's arm from which he'd given blood and then down to his wife's wedding band.

He slowly lifted his bandaged arm off the bedpost and set a hand on Finny's head. "'m s'rry," Sweden leaned down and whispered "Th't ya had t' do that for me."

"I'm not." Finland's suddenly open eyes met his own "There's nothing I've regretted less in my life. What I'm sorry about is not wrapping up your arm the first thing after the fight. Maybe if I'd done that you wouldn't have lost so much blood."

"Ah…" Sweden started to remember in more vivid detail the events that'd transpired immediately following the fistfight "It's okay, ya and I w're a b't…distracted."

Finland shook his head "No, that wasn't a good excuse."

"I thought 't was."

Finland smiled sadly. "Oh Cuddles…" His wife reached up and stroked Sweden's face, every movement of those soft, perfect fingers across his cheek making Cuddles's heart beat faster and faster…

"Breakfast for you both!" Hungary carried in a bowl of historically misplaced instant oatmeal and set it on the bedside table "Now no moving about too much for the big guy today. You've got to make sure your husband stays in bed for a good long while, Mr. Finland. Do you think you're up to the challenge?"

Finland hadn't given away enough blood to keep his face from flushing "Ah, of course, I'll get right onto him-THAT! Keeping him in bed, I mean, is what I'll get onto. I mean-"

Ms. Hungary giggled and brought a hand to her face with a wistful expression "Oh you two are just darling. Don't get better too soon, you're the cutest patients we have here. The doctor should be in later this morning."

Hungary left, but the hunger remained. Many shoes were tossed at the author's head as punishment for the cheesy play on words.

"Ha ha! Funny nurse we have, don't you think?" Finland laughed, trying to break the awkward silence.

"Yah."

"Here, um…let me feed you some of this…breakfast."

"I c'n feed myself," Sweden protested, trying to lift his arm up to the bedside table.

"No!" Finland cried as he seized Sweden's arm "No, please don't, you'll make the injury worse."

"Hmmh," Sweden resigned with a slightly sour expression. The strong-spirited Swede was inclined to take care of others and disliked not being able to care for himself.

"Oh, don't be sad," Finland took the bowl from the table and held out a spoon of oatmeal with a smile "This'll be fun, yah? Here, have a bite."

That smile seemed successful at seducing Cuddles into being spoon fed a bowl of instant oatmeal. Reluctantly Sweden opened his mouth and allowed Finland to place spoonful of warm, sugary cereal inside.

Was it weird that Finland was getting super turned on watching his husband lick away the cereal crumbs from the spoon he was holding? Weird or not, Finland couldn't stop. Spoonful after spoonful went into Sweden's mouth, and minutes later found Finland straddling his husband and becoming extremely envious of the spoon as it was stroked by Sweden's tongue.

"STUPID SPOON!" Finland yelled out suddenly, chucking the utensil at the far wall. His ears turned red when he realized what a silly thing he did. "Ha ha, sorry," he apologized as he set the bowl back onto the bedside table.

"D'n't be," Sweden advised "I also thought it w's a stupid spoon."

"Really?" Finland could feel himself starting to quiver with anticipation "Why is that?"

"'cause 't was keeping me from doing this-" Sweden reached out with his one good hand and pressed Finland's face to his own.

Finland lost his breath as Sweden's lips started attacking his own. That tongue which had so smoothly slid across the sides of the spoon now graced the inside of Finland's own mouth. Finland's limbs grew heavy with desire as his husband's hand slid down from his head, past his neck and then started to tug at the ties on the back of his hospital gown.

_Oh yes…this is happening…_

"Take me Cuddles," Finland whispered as their mouths pulled apart and his husband's focus now seemed to be removing Finland's hospital gown.

"Yah, 'm working 'n it," Sweden replied as he undid the last of the ties on his wife's gown, causing the garment to slip away from Finland's form. Finland gasped as he felt fingers slip into the waistband of his boxers and slowly pull them down his legs.

_Oh f(reproduce) yes…_ Cuddles's large strong hands worked wonders on things besides house repairs. Finland was pantsless and panting. _Oh Cuddles…_The pleasure was other-worldly.

Madness gripped him and moments later Finland had torn off his husband's hospital gown and tossed the Christmas tree boxers straight into next holiday season. Finland's tongue had never tasted anything sweeter. The married couple's bodies and souls were blending together in a smooth symphony of skin, sighs and smooches when the master of music himself walked in with a doctor's clipboard.

"Hello, Mr. Cuddles? I'm here to check on your – f(reproducing) f-major!"

Dr. Austria fled the room like a plague zone. Hungary stood in the hallway smiling dreamily. "Sweet, aren't they?" She sighed.

"Please don't tell me you've been watching this."

"Oh, even better," Hungary held up a smartphone "I've been recording it."

"WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?"

"I think it'd make a lovely little fanfiction," Hungary explained as she pressed the "Record stop" button. "Don't you think so? About a strong but sweet Swede who found a funny little Finnish man freezing in the lonely lake of life, and then used the beautiful power of physical intimacy to keep the one he loved, _warm…_"

**Thank you everybody for the support! I hope this made you life better somehow. I know it made mine better. Your reviews have encouraged me and cracked me up. Please write a final one if you feel so inclined, the feedback will help me in future fanfictions. I love all of you! Thanks for taking the time to read this. Love all around!**

**Also…I really want to animate this. Would anybody here watch this if it were animated? Please let me know! Also, keep an eye out for a one-shot silly sequel!**


	15. Chapter 8 and a half Waking Up Warm

**Because I got to thinking about what the morning between chapter 8 and chapter 9 must've been like. Just the fluffs, nothing plot-altering. The sequel is maybe...55% complete? Animation progress update to come with the sequel. Thanks and love for all the reviews and support and stuff. ^-^**

Sweden awoke to an icy water drop landing on his nose. His eyes opened and he rubbed his face.

_Dangit,_ he thought as he rubbed his eyes and saw the source of the water dripping. It was raining and the roof was leaking. Stupid Denmark keeping him away from home for so long. Look at the state of disrepair his house had fallen into. Anyways, he'd better get up and fix the hole in the roof. This place didn't need any more water damage.

Then he looked down and saw Finland curled up on his chest with his skinny arms wrapped around Sweden's waist. His wife's sweet round face glowed with a sunny smile that more than canceled out all the outside thunderclouds.

Now that Sweden thought about it, he didn't really need to get up and fix anything. He gently pulled Finland forward so that his wife's face was resting on his shoulder and he could feel Finland's heart beat just a few inches away from his own. Sweden gently kissed the top of Finland's head and folded his arms around Finland in a possessive embrace.

_M' wife..._Sweden thought to himself as he clutched Finland tighter. Finland was his. His to protect. His to care for. His to love.

Sweden lost his breath for a moment as Finland stirred a bit. His wife's face nuzzled his neck and Finland's fingers dug deeper into Sweden's back. His limbs grew heavy as Finland's head settled into the curve of Sweden's shoulder.

Scratch that, Finland was hardly his. Sweden was Finland's. Sweden's eyes were starry and his face was filled with all the pink of Valentine's Day. The strong, silent, self-sufficient repairer of houses had been converted into Finland's surrendered snuggle slave. And Sweden didn't mind it. Not even a little.

_Are you happy here, m' wife?_ Sweden wondered silently as he stared at the smile on Finland's face. _Do you want to stay with me? Just like this? You could. I'll be here, if you wanted to stay._

Sweden's heart started pounding as he thought of the real question he wanted to ask, but was also terrified of the answer.

_Finland, do you love me?_

Sweden became extremely fearful all of a sudden. The embrace he held his wife in tightened.

_Please love me. _What had it all meant last night then if Finland didn't love him? All that had to mean...at least...didn't it?

As Sweden had a silent anxious worry fit, he could feel Finland start to wake up. Sweden held on to the hug and closed his eyes. Maybe if he lay still enough Finland would think he was asleep and stay where he was.

Finland woke up with his arms around something warm. He was still half conscious as he pulled his hand up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

What was this wrapped around him? Finland opened his eyes and looked. An arm? Sweden's arm. Ah, yes, Sweden's arms around him. Naturally. Of course… Sweden…

…Sweden…

Wait…

**"AIHH!"**Finland's fright filled the cabin in the form of a high pitched shriek.

Then, Finland remembered. His panicked panting was replaced by relieved laughter.

"That's right," he said to himself with a smile as he settled his head back onto Sweden's shoulder "I'd forgotten how last night I learned that my husband was a nice guy and that I don't need to be afraid of him anymore."

_That's progress. _Sweden celebrated silently.

"Nah, I shouldn't be scared of him," Finland continued as he reached up and ruffled his fingers through Sweden's hair "He's like a nice, warm, comfy pillow."

_A pillow?_ Sweden liked this interpretation of himself. At least, it was a good interpretation for Finland to have of him. Sweden wouldn't appreciate it very much if Denmark or Russia decided he was a warm, comfy pillow.

Sorry world, the pillow interpretation of Sweden worked for one country only.

"I'm glad he's a heavy sleeper. It's kind of nice having him just lay here so I can hold him and stuff. Ah, I hope he stays like this a while."

_Wish granted._Sweden would more than happily stay like this for however long Finland wanted him to. He contentedly continued "sleeping" while Finland stroked the side of his husband's face. The sounds of thunder were coming closer and another drop of icy rain landed on Sweden's nose. Didn't bother Sweden, his wife's soft caresses were causing him to melt into the couch.

"Wonder what he's going to do today," Finland absentmindedly spoke to himself in that bright, bell-like voice "I liked it yesterday when he was running around repairing stuff with his tool belt. That was very attractive."

Sweden's eyes shot open "Ya f'nd 't attr'ct've?"

Before Finland could fully comprehend what was going on, Sweden had jumped off the couch, dragged out a ladder, his tool belt and several wood planks, and started nailing boards to the leaky roof. Hadn't Sweden just been…asleep?

Sweden's stare switched from the roof to Finland's face for the briefest of moments. "'ll g't ya breakf'st 'n a bit," he assured before returning to his work.

"Oh, no worries. No need to rush or anything like that," Finland's eyes widened as his gaze wandered down to Sweden's blue-jeans-covered behind "It's um, quite nice the way it is right now, actually."


End file.
